Morocco’s Health Minister dismisses officials at Agadir Regional Hospital over service failures

Morocco’s Health and Social Protection Minister, Amin Tehraoui, announced Tuesday the dismissal of the director of Hassan II Regional Hospital in Agadir, along with several other officials in the regional and provincial health delegations of Souss-Massa, citing serious dysfunctions in the facility’s operations.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the hospital, Tehraoui said the move aims to bring in “new staff and leadership to take over these responsibilities.”

He explained that a central committee has been working inside the hospital for a week to propose urgent solutions. “Based on the initial findings, I decided to dismiss the hospital director and appoint new leadership tasked with rehabilitation. I will also relieve several officials in the provincial and regional health departments,” he said.

The minister expressed solidarity with residents of Agadir and the Souss-Massa region, as well as families of patients, acknowledging what he described as “serious dysfunctions that cannot be ignored.”

Tehraoui also cited repeated, unjustified staff absences that will be referred to disciplinary committees, and supply shortages that were partially resolved last week with the delivery of medicines and medical equipment to cover the coming months. Emergency maintenance contracts have been signed for critical medical devices, he added, including scanners that require further adjustments before becoming operational.

During his visit, Tehraoui criticized poor performance by outsourced service companies handling cleaning, reception and security at the hospital. He announced the immediate termination of their contracts and the launch of temporary agreements pending new tenders that meet updated standards.

On reports of recent patient deaths at the facility, Tehraoui said inspectors from the ministry’s general inspectorate are gathering information to be submitted to the public prosecutor to determine legal responsibility.